1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to security devices, specifically to a lock for securing a helmet to a motorcycle.
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates to a tamperproof device for locking items to a handlebar or frame of a personal vehicle, or, alternatively, for retaining a handlebar or frame to another object. In particular, the present invention relates to a device which is particularly suitable for holding a motorcycle helmet to the handlebar of a motorcycle, or, alternatively, for locking a vehicle to a fixed item, to prevent it from being moved.
Motorcycle helmets are bulky and it is desirable to secure them to the motorcycle when arriving at a destination, rather than having the inconvenience of carrying them about at the destination point. However, helmets may be the target of thieves.
Motorcycles are typically supplied by the manufacturer either without a helmet lock or with a helmet lock that leaves the helmet vulnerable to theft. Accessory helmet locks have partially addressed this problem but these have significant problems.
Prior art uses metal cables or chains with a lock to allow a rider to secure the helmet to a part of the motorcycle. However, these approaches require a motorcycle rider to carry a heavy and cumbersome cable or chain and lock. Carrying such a chain and lock on the rider's person additionally presents a safety risk to the rider in the event of an accident, when the chain or lock may be trapped between the rider's body and the ground or other point of impact.
Another prior art approach allows helmets to be locked in compartments, such as side bags or cases that are mounted to the motorcycle. However, not all motorcycles have such devices and these devices are large and tend to detract from a motorcycle's performance and aesthetic beauty.
Another approach uses a lock that is either integrated into the motorcycle or added as an accessory. Usually this is a small lock operable with a key. The lock has a tiny arm that goes through a D ring buckle on a cloth strap on the motorcycle's helmet. However, the helmet is quite easily removed from this type of helmet lock by simply cutting the strap with a knife. A lock of the foregoing character is illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,423 to Mrdeza which describes a lock in which a locking bolt advances through the strap ring to secure the helmet. Unfortunately, this leaves the helmet strap vulnerable to being cut.
A further approach is to use an accessory lock that is attached to the motorcycle by means of screws or bolts. However such screws and bolts are vulnerable to being unscrewed or unbolted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,916 to Pender describes a device in which a locking unit is attached to a bicycle frame member. Unfortunately, the locking unit is secured to the bicycle frame using a strap that is bolted around the frame but the bolt is not protected and therefore may simply be unbolted.
A still further approach is to use a locking mechanism in which the lock is secured to the motorcycle by means of a bolt (either an existing one or a longer replacement one) to hold the lock in place. The lock then receives both ends of a separate cable for use in securing the helmet, covering the bolt. Unfortunately, the cable remains a separate accessory in this instance, to be carried separately.
A lock which attaches to the end of a handlebar grip is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,246 to Wilson. The lock attaches to the end of the handlebar using an expandable hub which is expanded within a tubular handlebar end, and a “shackle, a cable, or a spring loaded lever which extends out of the distal end of the handlebar.” Unfortunately, by extending from the handlebar, the lock is vulnerable to cutting or breaking and compromises the safety of the motorcycle by widening the handlebars.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,423 to Mrdeza takes a similar approach, widening the handlebars, or the foot pegs, making the motorcycle more cumbersome and potentially less safe. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,257 to Kulas describes a securing member 120 which is attached to the end of a handlebar grip and which again widens the motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,271 to Todd describes a device for locking an article to a construction such as a handlebar. Unfortunately, this device requires modification to the article to be secured, including drilling through the helmet and potentially compromising its safety.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a device which itself locks securely to the handlebar, and incorporates a cable, and secures the helmet by passing a cable through the open face of the full face helmet rather than relying on the D ring and vulnerable strap to provide strength, and which does not widen the motorcycle handlebar or foot pegs.